Itta Bena, Miss. – The B-CU offense put up a season-high 17 runs as they came back from down 10-4 to take their third straight SWAC series, Sunday afternoon in Mississippi
 
How It Happened
 
The Wildcats (13-15, 7-2 SWAC) looked to be in the driver's seat as the afternoon got underway with three runs in the first inning on a first-pitch three-run homer from Irvin Escobar – his first of the season
 
Mississippi Valley State (8-12-1, 3-6 SWAC) rebounded with a two-run shot to cut the early lead to one.
 
A sacrifice fly from Colton Olasin drive in Jeremy Garcia made it 4-2, B-CU, but MVSU trimmed the lead again in the third with another two-run homer.
 
The Delta Devils took off in the fourth for six runs to make it 8-4 on four hits and an error.
 
The Wildcats battled back with 13 unanswered runs, scoring four straight innings, beginning with three in the fifth on RBI singles from Boris Peña and Jeremy Garcia. The Wildcats loaded the bases and added another run on a bases-loaded walk by Franki Febles. In the sixth, Christopher Patterson walked, advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on a lineout from Brian Perez to make it 10-8, Delta Devils.
 
The Wildcats took the lead for good in the seventh with six runs. Febles, Patterson, Perez, and Peña each added RBI as the Wildcats batted around in the seventh to take a 14-10 lead. The Wildcats added three runs in the eighth after a Patterson RBI double and a Perez two-RBi single.
 
Mississippi Valley State threatened with three runs in the ninth, but it was not enough as they fell, 17-13.
 
"We did a good job today taking advantage of opportunities," Wildcats head coach Jonathan Hernandez said after the game. "Our guys just kept chipping away, they didn't cave in, and that effort showed up in the win at the end."
 
Hector Vazquez took a no-decision after 3.2 innings in which he allowed 10 runs – only three earned – on six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.
 
Dale Michaud took over for Vazquez, throwing 1.2 innings, allowing no runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeouts.
 
Joan Gonzalez picked up his first win of the season. He allowed three runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts on 2.2 innings. Brenton Fisher finished things off allowing only a single hit in an inning of work.
 
With three series victories in as many SWAC series, Hernandez knows there is still plenty of work to be done.
 
"This was a tough series for sure, but we saw our guys respond after a disappointing loss Saturday night," Hernandez said. "We'll enjoy this one but we have to do a much better job overall as we get ready for FAMU next weekend."
 
Notes

• Brian Perez remains dialed in at the plate. He finished the afternoon 2-3 with a team-high 4 RBI, a walk, and two sacrifice flies. He has now reached base in 13 straight games.
• Frebles, Patterson, Escobar, and Peña rounded out the multi-RBI days for B-CU.
• Only two B-CU starters did not register a hit in the contest.
• Matthew Garcia went 2-3 with four walks and a hit by pitch in the game.
• The Wildcats walked 14 times as a team – their highest combined mark in  game this season
• B-CU batters were hit five times – a single-game high this season.
• The Wildcats have yet to lose a conference series this weekend.

 
Up Next
The Wildcats will take a much-needed midweek breather this week and prepare for another SWAC series next weekend as Florida A&M comes to down. Next weekend's games will be played at nearby Bethune Point as B-CU avoids conflicts with Opening Weekend for the Daytona Tortugas.
 
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